Bears notebook: Hester grabs another NFC award

Thursday

His wink-wink facial expression also made it evident he knew no one would believe him.

"If I was the other team," he said, "I'd kick the ball to Devin Hester."

Rashied Davis kept repeating his opinion.
His wink-wink facial expression also made it evident he knew no one would believe him.
"If I was the other team," he said, "I'd kick the ball to Devin Hester."
Why not? Then the Chicago Bears would have a better chance to score immediately. Just ask the Denver Broncos, against whom Hester returned punt and kickoff returns to earn his third NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He also won in Weeks Two and Six.
Some teams purposely have kicked to Hester; some purposely have avoided him. Either way, Chicago has ended up with good field position.
Sometimes Davis fields the shorter kicks; sometimes it's rookie Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois.
"I've been close, and getting closer and closer," Davis said of breaking a long return himself. "We'll see. Hopefully, they'll kick it to Devin."
What teams elect to do each week becomes a story of its own. Denver thought it could contain Hester, and couldn't. Oakland also kicked to him but had success.
The New York Giants are undecided what they'll do Sunday at Soldier Field.
``Well, we'll see," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "I think everybody knows the quality of the return man and he's exceptional. It's just a question of whether you want to take it at the 40 by kicking it out of bounds, or what are you going to do? You got to roll the dice.''
Bears coach Lovie Smith just keeps sending Hester out on the field -- that's a no-brainer.
"He’s had so many big plays, we’ve used all of the words to describe him," he said. "His plays, what his place will be in history as a returner, I think he should be talked about under those type terms."
Davis took one more shot at talking teams into challenging Hester.
"Because he puts his pants on just like we put our pants on," he said. "So I would kick the ball to Devin Hester. Give the man a chance to break some records."
Stakes Stay High
The 5-6 Bears know Sunday's game with the 7-4 Giants basically is do or die.
"We know what the stakes are," defensive tackle Darwin Walker said. "Every week we have to go out and play as hard as we can. That's what everybody should expect."
Said defensive end Adewale Ogunleye: "Our backs are against the wall, but it's still fun. You can only have fun. It is a job, but you have to go out there and have a good time."
Rookie tight end Greg Olsen has caught on to the game's importance.
"It makes it a lot of fun. Each game there’s a lot on the line," he said. "It kind of has that playoff atmosphere, the fact that you’ve got to win or it’s going to be pretty tough."
Taking A Pass Tonight
Will the Bears watch tonight's Green Bay-Dallas game on the NFL Network?
"What game?" said receiver Mike Hass. He doesn't have the NFL Network, but said "it would be fun to watch."
Special teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo would have watched the game -- if the network hadn't disappeared from his cable.
"That definitely will be a good game," he said.
Injury Report
Four Bears sat out Wednesday -- LB Lance Briggs (hamstring), DT Tommie Harris (knee), returner Devin Hester (foot) and OT Fred Miller (ankle). Corner Nathan Vasher (groin) was limited.
"We should be in good shape this weekend," Lovie Smith said.
Reed Schreck is the NFL writer for the Rockford Register Star. Contact him at 815-987-1381 or rschreck@rrstar.com.

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